


The Milgram Experiment

by flickering_light612



Category: Glee
Genre: AU, College!AU, M/M, Niff, milgram experiment
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-08
Updated: 2013-08-16
Packaged: 2017-12-10 20:21:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/789761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flickering_light612/pseuds/flickering_light612
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick had no idea what to expect when he first signed up for the experiment but he certainly wasn’t prepared to meet a blonde boy that could change his life. Niff College!AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Hey everyone, it's Ash! This is my newest fanfic and it's Niff. This is my first niff fic ever so please send me feedback. For those of you looking for Bits of Broken Glass that story is on hold for now. Re-writing it is proving to be harder than I thought it would be…. Sorry. Anyway. On with the Niff. Drum roll please!

Nick sighed as he stepped out of his car and looked around at the campus. Dalton University was a spectacle to behold, the buildings were all gothic style with tall turrets and swooping arches that seemed to reach to touch the sky. As a photographer Nick saw the buildings and grounds in all the beauty that they were. He could see every angle, every perfect ray of light, and every color contrast. The brunette wasn't at Dalton to take photos though, not today at least. He was standing in the Dalton parking lot because he'd signed up to be part of an experiment. He'd originally heard about the experiment from his Theology professor at Columbus State but hadn't agreed to sign up for it until his Biology professor convinced him that it was a good idea. A couple phone calls, an interview, and a meeting later here Nick was, standing in the parking lot of Dalton University's Science building.

He didn't actually know too much about the experiment that he was to be a part of. He was told it was a basic experiment to see how different people learned and their learning rate. It had all been a bit vague but Doctor Mitchell, the man in charge had assured Nick that all would be fully explained on the day of the experiment. Nick sighed and glanced around at the campus once again before walking into the science building. Dalton University was famous for its science program. Alumni from the school had done everything from heal children in under developed countries to help land a rover on Mars. Nick knew all of this because he, much like many students in his senior A.P. Chemistry class, had wanted to go to Dalton. He'd almost made it too. He'd been accepted and everything but the tuition had been too steep and in the end Nick had chosen Columbus State instead.

As the brunette walked through the halls of the science building he imagined what it must be like to be a student at Dalton. He wondered what it must be like to see the beauty every day. Did it become something taken for granted or were the students constantly amazed by the colors and buildings the way Nick was? Deep in thought Nick almost missed the room he was supposed to go to. He actually walked right past it, having to do a double take and re trace his steps to get back to it. Nervously Nick paused in front of the oak door, reading the sign that clearly stated what the room's purpose was. "Experiment Room # 36" the plaque read and Nick took a deep breath, running his hand over the letters, before he pushed open the door and walked inside.

Nick wasn't too sure what he'd been expecting to find behind the door but it certainly wasn't what he did find. The room looked like a waiting room, the kind you'd see at a doctor's office. It was friendly but still gave off a serious vibe. Sitting in the waiting room already was another male with blonde hair who was hunched over a thick textbook. He couldn't have been much older than Nick but the brunette couldn't really tell considering the way the other male was sitting. "Hey... Is this where Dr. Mitchell's experiment is happening?" Nick asked nervously, glancing around the room for any indicators of if he was in the right place. He'd expected more people. "Yep. Pop a squat." The blonde replied, not looking up from his text. Nick nodded and awkwardly say in a chair a few seats down from the blonde.

He looked nervously around the room, feeling his stomach flop as he noted how quiet and empty it was. For the first time ever the lack of noise bothered Nick and he felt he had to find a way to make the silence go away. "So, how did you find out about this… thing?" he asked. The blonde looked up from his textbook as Nick spoke and shrugged. "I go here actually. I saw the ad on the bulletin board a few weeks ago." The blonde explained and Nick nodded, Now that he got a good look at the other boy's face he could see that it was stunning. The blonde's face had a boyish look to it yet at the same time he managed to look his age. His eyes were not quite brown, not quite green, but not hazel either. "What about you, how'd you find out?" The boy asked, pulling Nick from his thoughts. "My biology professor told me about it." Nick stated simply. "Cool, where do you go to school?" The blonde asked, closing his textbook and putting it aside.

Nick looked down at his hands before answering. "I'm over at Columbus Sate but I'm working on transferring here." The blonde's face split into a wide smile as Nick spoke. "No way! I did that but I came from Cincinnati." He said enthusiastically. Nick smiled at him, feeling his face flush slightly for some odd reason. There was a pause and Nick was almost positive that the other male had seen his face turn pink and could hear his heart pounding. Silently Nick prayed the blonde wasn't a homophobe. "I'm Jeff by the way." The blonde finally said, extending a hand to the brunette. Nick felt his smile widen a bit as he shook the other boy- Jeff's- hand. "It's nice to meet ya Jeff, I'm Nick." He replied before leaning back and relaxing in his seat.

"So what are you studying over at Columbus?" Jeff asked, following Nick's lead and leaning back in his chair. "Biology, I want to do something with medicine." Nick said confidently and Jeff smiled. "Awesome! The med kids are great! You'll get along with them really well." He explained excitedly. "I'm in the English department but my roommate is in medicine and he's the best." Nick smiled and couldn't help but laugh at the blonde's energy. It made Nick feel comfortable and less nervous about whatever experiment was about to take place. "That's awesome. Maybe I could meet him some time, see what he has to say about classes and stuff." Nick said, feeling his stomach drop. Did he really just invite himself to meet Jeff's friend? Was Nick really that stupid? Jeff must have realized what Nick was thinking because he laughed and shook his head. "Don't worry. We're not axe murderers or anything. We're just normal, sleep deprived college students. Unless you're homophobic…" Jeff added the last sentence quietly and quickly but Nick still caught it.

"Nope." Nick said with a shake of his head. "No homophobia here." Nick paused for a second, weighing his options before adding "I'd have to be afraid of myself." Nick watched as Jeff noticeably relaxed and smiled. Jeff must have noticed that he noticed because his eyes went wide and he shook his head, his blonde bangs flopping adorably into his eyes. "Sorry, I just… we're in Ohio so you never really know if..." "If people are for or against you." Nick finished after the blonde trailed off. "Exactly!" Jeff exclaimed, jumping in his seat slightly. Nick smiled at this, he really loved the blonde's energy and it made him want to get up and dance or sing or something crazy like that. "Do you want to go out for coffee after this?" Nick blurted out, his eyes widening as he realized what he'd just said.

There was silence in the room as Jeff processed what the other boy was saying. Nick could feel his heart beating against his ribcage. He'd done it, he'd overstepped the boundaries. Nick looked down at his hands, taking a deep breath before looking up at the blonde, surprised to see him smiling. "Yeah. That would be great." Jeff replied and Nick smiled back, relaxing slightly as he heard a door open and close. "Hello boys!" A familiar voice said and Nick turned to see Dr. Mitchell standing in the doorway, looking very professional in his white lab coat and holding a clipboard. "Hey there Doc!" Jeff replied with a wave and a wide smile. Dr. Mitchell smiled back at the boy, his eyes showing how obviously fond of the blonde he was. "And you must be Nick Duval?" Dr. Mitchell said, nodding at Nick who nodded back with a smile. "That's me, it's a pleasure to meet you Dr. Mitchell." Nick said, suddenly feeling nervous again.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too Nick, and welcome, both of you." Dr. Mitchell said as he moved to sit in a seat opposite Nick and Jeff. "I'm sure you're both curious about what exactly will be going on today." Dr. Mitchell paused at this, watching with grey eyes as the two boys in front of him nodded in unison. At this gesture Dr. Mitchell pulled a few papers out of his clipboard and handed them to the boys. After Nick had taken the paper Dr. Mitchell began to explain. The test was, as Nick had been told before, a test to see at what rate people learned. The two boys would be put in different rooms and would be given roles. One would be the questioner and the other the answerer. Questions would be asked and the answerer would press a button to indicate the option he chose. If he got the question right they would move on to the next question, if he got the question wrong he would be electrocuted.

Nick felt his stomach drop as Dr. Mitchell told him and Jeff of this part of the experiment. He wasn't too sure how to feel about the idea of shocking, or being shocked. He'd signed up though and was determined to stay and at least try the whole thing out. "Are you alright Mr. Duval?" Dr. Mitchell asked and Nick looked up to see him and Jeff staring at him, worry obvious in Jeff's eyes. "Yeah." Nick replied with a nod. He could do this. "Alright then. Pick a paper out of this bag. If you get the star you're the questioner." Dr. Mitchell held out an opaque, fabric bag to the two and quickly Nick dug his hand into the bag and fished out a paper. With a deep breath he opened up the folded slip. He felt his stomach lurch. There, clear as day, was a black star.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN 2: alright so that's part one! I hope you all liked it. (feed back is greatly appreciated.) Thanks for reading guys. I less than 36 all of you! XD


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick had no idea what to expect when he first signed up for the experiment but he certainly wasn’t prepared to meet a blonde boy that could change his life.

Here's what you missed on gLee:

Nick felt his stomach drop as Dr. Mitchell told him and Jeff of this part of the experiment. He wasn't too sure how to feel about the idea of shocking, or being shocked. He'd signed up though and was determined to stay and at least try the whole thing out. "Are you alright Mr. Duval?" Dr. Mitchell asked and Nick looked up to see him and Jeff staring at him, worry obvious in Jeff's eyes. "Yeah." Nick replied with a nod. He could do this. "Alright then. Pick a paper out of this bag. If you get the star you're the questioner." Dr. Mitchell held out an opaque, fabric bag to the two and quickly Nick dug his hand into the bag and fished out a paper. With a deep breath he opened up the folded slip. He felt his stomach lurch. There, clear as day, was a black star.

oooOooo

"Ahh. Alright then Mr. Duval will be the questioner today. If you two will follow me now." Dr. Mitchell said as he stood up. Nick glanced over at Jeff, who looked as calm and put together as Nick wished he felt, before standing up and following Dr. Mitchell through a door and into a back room. He felt a bit numb as he followed the man through a hallway and into a room with nothing but a machine and a chair. Nick watched silently as Jeff sat down in the chair and had restraints put across his arms and legs. It wasn't until Dr. Mitchell attached the probes that Nick really began to feel nervous. This was real. He was going to be shocking Jeff. Silently Nick prayed that the blonde was really smart and didn't get any questions wrong. "Are you all set?" Dr. Mitchell asked the blonde who nodded.

"Alright then. I'll go set Nick up. If you ever need to communicate with us there's a button on the edge of your chair's arm. Press it and start speaking. We'll hear you in the other room." Dr. Mitchell explained. Jeff nodded again, looking around the room in awe and, possibly, in shock. "Come on Nick." Dr. Mitchell said as he made his way to the door. "Um… bye. See ya later." Nick said softly to the blonde sitting in the chair. See you after I shock you. Try not to die or anything. Nick thought to himself. "Bye!" Jeff called with a wave as Nick followed Dr. Mitchell out of the room, closing the door behind him. "Alright Nick, so what you'll be doing is reading the question given and waiting for a reply from Jeff. When he gets an answer right tell him and move on. When he gets one wrong correct him and then press a button to send a shock. Understand?" Dr. Mitchell asked as he led Nick into another room, much like Jeff's. "Yeah, I think so." Nick replied with a jerky nod.

"Alright. So this is your station." Dr. Mitchell said as he motioned towards a pale green table with a large machine on top. Little knobs, labeled from one to 400 lined the face of the machine as well as a larger button right in the center. Nick sat down in the chair as Dr. Mitchell explained to him that every time Jeff got a question wrong he would move up a knob, each of which was a higher voltage of electricity, flipping it up and then pressing the larger button. "You will speak into that. The panel to see if he got it right is up on the machine there. The letter he picked will light up green. If you have any questions I'll be sitting in the desk right here." Dr. Mitchell said with a nod. Nick nodded quietly, wondering what he'd signed up for. He watched as Dr. Mitchell sat down stiffly at his desk behind Nick before turning to face the giant machine in front of him. "You may begin." Dr. Mitchell said as the sound of a pen being clicked open echoed through the room.

Nick nodded to himself and took a deep breath before looking down at the packet in front of him. "Hello there Jeff. Nick here, are you ready? If you are press option A." Nick said into the microphone. Nick looked up as the A light lit up. "Alright then." Nick said with a grimace before reading off the first question. It was a fairly simple one and Jeff answered it in almost now time. The next few questions were pretty easy too and Nick began to relax, wondering if, maybe, Jeff would answer everything correctly. Nick's hopes fell though as he looked up at the light board and saw the letter D light up instead of the letter B. "Um… That was wrong. The answer is B." Nick said into the microphone before flipping the first switch and pressing the button. He jumped as a buzzing noise ripped through the room. It took Nick a moment to realize what the noise was and he suddenly felt sick to his stomach. It was the electricity. Racing through the lines to where Jeff was sitting.

Nick leaned back in his chair, feeling a wave of cold fear run through his body. He had just shocked someone. Actually shocked them. Nick turned and looked at Dr. Mitchell, wondering what to do. "Do I continue?" He asked, feeling his chest tighten as Dr. Mitchell nodded. "It's important that you do." He replied and Nick turned back to the machine and continued asking his questions. Nick felt himself relax slightly again as Jeff got more questions right, his hope returning again until a wrong letter lit up again. "That was incorrect. The answer was A." Nick said into the mic before moving over to the switchboard and flipping the next switch up. "Here goes." He said to himself, flinching as the buzz sounded again. What was he doing? As Nick continued to read out questions he stared at the machine in front of him and thought of how this went against all his ideals and principles.

He had always considered himself a good person but this certainly wasn't a good act. This was torture in the rawest sense. He couldn't stand the thought that someone on the other end of that machine was being forced to have electricity course through his body. Nick felt his shoulders sag as the light board lit up with a wrong letter for a third time. "That… that was wrong." Nick said into the mic, not making a move to flip the switch. "I can't do this." He said, turning to face Doctor Mitchell as he spoke. "You are required to continue." Dr. Mitchell said with a sigh and Nick nodded. "The answer… The answer was A." Nick started again, feeling as if he were about to cry. Salty tears pricked at the corner of his eyes and he took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. Quickly he flipped the third switch and pressed the button. "Oh god." He exclaimed as he heard the buzzing again. He'd just shocked someone. For the third time. He'd actually shocked someone.

"I-I can't do this." Nick stammered, looking up and turning to face Dr. Mitchell's desk. "It is essential that you continue." He replied and Nick nodded. "I know. I can't though. I'm shocking someone. I'm hurting them." Nick explained, feeling himself shake slightly. "I'm sorry Dr. Mitchell but I can't keep doing this." Dr. Mitchell nodded, making a note on his clipboard before looking up again. "But it is important that this be completed." Dr. Mitchell pressed. Nick felt his stomach constrict. He had always hated going against authority figures but he couldn't go through with the experiment. The image of Jeff stuck in that chair, hurt, kept flashing through his head and Nick knew he couldn't go on.

"I'm sorry Dr. Mitchell but I can't keep torturing him like this. I'm not finishing this and that's final." Nick said firmly. Dr. Mitchell looked down his nose at Nick, reminding the brunette of Tim Gunn. "Are you sure?" he asked and Nick nodded hurriedly. "Alright then." Dr. Mitchell said with a smile. Nick looked at the scientist in confusion. Why was he smiling? What had he said to make the scientist smile like that? "Jeff, could you come in here?" Dr. Mitchell called out loudly, causing Nick to jump in surprise. Without a pause the door opened and a familiar blonde walked into the room.

"You're okay!" Nick cried out without thinking, relief washing over him as the blonde walked over to Nick's table and sat on the edge of it. "Of course I am silly!" Jeff replied with a laugh before noticing Nick wiping away tears that he hadn't realized were falling. Jeff's expression morphed into one of seriousness as he saw this and turned to face Dr. Mitchell. "I think you should explain before Nick's brain breaks." Jeff joked and Dr. Mitchell nodded. "Nick, have you ever heard of Stanley Milgram?"

Nick shook his head at this and listened intently as Dr. Mitchell explained Stanley Milgram and his experiment to Nick. It was exactly what Nick and Jeff had just done except the goal was not to see at what rate someone learned but instead to see how people reacted to figures of authority. The original experiment was made up by Stanley Milgram when he was inspired by the infamous Nuremburg trials in which Nazi generals pleaded innocence on account of the fact that they were just following orders. The experiment tested how far someone would go, how much they would hurt the person, when following orders to do so without actually seeing the damage inflicted upon the victim.

"So you were never hurt?" Nick asked, turning to look at the blonde to his left. "Nope!" Jeff said with a smile. "If you continued on longer though I would've had to shout and make it sound like I was in pain though." Nick looked at the blonde in shock, not sure what to think of the role that Jeff had played. It had been explained to him that Jeff was in on the experiment the whole time and had already taken part in sixteen other tests as the answerer. "Aw don't look so shocked. It's just test. It's not real." Jeff said softly and Nick nodded. "I know but…" he trailed off and looked up at Jeff who nodded, seeming to understand what was being left unsaid. But the fact that people can do that willingly.

There was silence as Dr. Mitchell led the two boys out of the test rooms and back into the waiting room. "I'm getting coffee, I'll be back in a few." He told Jeff before closing the door behind him. The silence continued after this and Nick could feel the tension rising in the air. Would Jeff still want to go out for coffee after Nick had "shocked" him? What happened now? Nick was about to speak when the silence was broken by Jeff. "So… I'm done at four." He said softly and Nick looked up at him in surprise. "You still want to get coffee with me?" He asked and Jeff nodded, biting his lip. "Why wouldn't I?" Jeff asked and Nick shrugged. Inside he was doing cartwheels but Nick tried to keep his excitement to a minimum. "Well I kinda shocked you… kinda…" He explained and Jeff laughed. "Don't worry about that. I mean you did pretty well. I went up until six wrong answers before I stopped…" Jeff trailed off at this, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"I guess we're all a little insane aren't we?" Nick asked and Jeff nodded, the smile returning to his lips. "Yeah. So… I'll see you at four?" Jeff asked hopefully and Nick nodded. "I'll pick you up here, is that okay?" He asked and Jeff nodded again before pulling a phone out of his pocket. "Put your number in so I can text you when I'm done." He said. Quickly Nick typed his number into the other boy's phone before leaving with a hug and a promise to come back in a few hours. Nick was practically skipping as he made his way out to his car and felt his spirits lift even more when he unlocked his phone to find a new text message that read:

From: Unknown

Jeff here! Can't wait 2 see u at 4;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Tah dah! Here ends part two of my story. It was originally a really long one shot but, after seeing it all typed up, I split it in two. Here's what's happening now though: When I first wrote this story my plan was to stop here and let the readers make up what happened next but, as I wrote, Nick and Jeff grew. Their story continued after I finished typing; little head canons for their universe started popping up in my head. So... I'm going to continue, although updates probably won't be all that regular. Thanks all! <36


	3. Coffee Grounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The thing about waiting for something to happen, Nick decided as he made his way down the familiar streets towards Dalton University, was that it made time slow down in a painful way.
> 
> Nick and Jeff go on their coffee date. Niff College!AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this has been up over on FF.net for a while but I forgot the password for my account over here on AO3 but now I'm back and here's chapter 3~

The thing about waiting for something to happen, Nick decided as he made his way down the familiar streets towards Dalton University, was that it made time slow down in a painful way. He'd spent the past few hours wandering around Westerville and trying to keep busy. It hadn't worked very well though. No matter how hard Nick tried he couldn't stop thinking about Jeff and how in only a few hours they would be going on a date. As soon as this fact sunk in Nick felt himself fall into a time loop in which one minute was really one hour. Time stretched out and Nick found himself looking at his watch over and over, hoping that more time had passed since he looked at his wrist a minute before.

Finally, after what felt like ages, the watch's hands signaled that it was almost four and Nick climbed back into his car and headed back to Dalton. The drive up, just like the wait, was long and drawn out. Surely it didn't take this long to get up there before. Nick mused as he hit another red light. He could feel himself becoming more and more nervous as he drove closer to the university campus. What was he getting himself into? He hardly knew Jeff, for all Nick knew the blonde could be a complete psychopath or something. Nick shook his head as he thought this. He was sure Jeff wasn't actually a psychopath, the idea was ridiculous, and he didn't even look like one.

Ted Bundy didn't look like a serial killer either. A voice in Nick's head whispered as he turned a familiar corner and was met by the sight of Dalton University. Nick shook his head again, trying to rid himself of all the doubt he felt. Jeff wasn't a psychopath and he was going on this date because he could, because Jeff seemed really adorable. Even if this doesn't work out you two could be friends. Nick reasoned with himself as he pulled the car to a stop and grabbed his phone, texting Jeff that he was waiting in the parking lot.

Before Nick could hit send though there was a knock on the passenger side window. Nick looked up to see who could be trying to get his attention and was met by a mop of blonde hair and beautiful brown eyes. He smiled as he closed his phone, feeling his previous doubts fade away as he unlocked the door. "Hey there, I was just about to text you." Nick said as Jeff climbed into the car. Jeff laughed and shrugged. I got out early so I was out here waiting for you." He said as he closed the car door with a soft thud. "Sorry, that sounds really creepy." He added sheepishly.

Nick shook his head. "No, don't worry, it's not creepy." He smiled over at the blonde who smiled back in return, making Nick's stomach flop. For some reason the thought that Jeff had been waiting for him to arrive made Nick feel like he was back in middle school nursing a school yard crush. There was silence in the car as Jeff buckled his seatbelt and Nick glanced from the blonde to a maple tree outside the car. He didn't want to seem like he was staring too much.

Nick inhaled slightly, feeling the air in the car turn awkward, unsure what to say to break the silence. He was in the middle of searching for the right words when Jeff broke the silence with an easy "So… where are we going?" Nick chuckled slightly and looked over at the other male as he started the car. "Well, I was thinking coffee and there's a pretty nice little place in the middle of town, near the skating rink. How does that sound?" Nick asked, looking back at the road as he heard the engine start. He hoped that Jeff wouldn't object. The coffee place was, in his opinion, the best one in town and it was only a small perk that Nick's friend from high school, Trent, worked there. Trent was always bugging Nick about being single and now Nick could finally get the other brunette off his back.

"Is it Coffee Grounds?" Jeff asked hopefully and Nick smiled, slightly surprised. "Yeah, it is. You know of it?" he asked and Jeff let out a grunt that sounded a bit like a yes. "My friend Trent works there." Jeff added happily and Nick felt his heart skip a beat for a moment. "Wait, did you just say Trent?" Nick asked, glancing over at Jeff for a moment before looking back at the road. "Yeah…. He's my roommate… why?" Jeff replied, suddenly sounding worried. "Trent Nixon?" Nick glanced over at Jeff again, seeing the other male's eyes widen. "Yeah… How do you…?" "We went to high school together. We were, like, best friends." Nick explained as he turned a corner, feeling his stomach flop.

There was a silent pause as both boys took in the new information before Jeff laughed. "You're Nick!" He exclaimed and Nick nodded, slightly confused. "Yeah, last time I checked I was…." He replied and Jeff shook his head. "Trent wanted to set us up on a date at some point. He wouldn't tell me anything other than the fact that you two were friends in high school. He wouldn't even let me see what you looked like." Nick snorted at this, of course Trent had been trying to play match maker behind his back. He really shouldn't be as shocked as he was, it was Trent after all. "Looks like we beat him to it." Nick said, trying to imagine what Trent's face would look like when he found out the two of them were going on a date. "He's working right now you know." Jeff added and Nick smiled over at the blonde, wondering how this would pan out.

The rest of the car ride was spent alternating between discussing high school and sharing embarrassing moments (some of which may or may not have involved Trent) By the time the two reached Coffee Grounds Nick was thankful that Jeff knew Trent, it had given them a conversation starter. His thankfulness began to morph into worry though as the got out of the car and made their way into the small shop. What if Trent actually hated them together? What would happen if he and Jeff didn't work out? Doubts began to run through Nick's head, making his stomach lurch. "Hey." Jeff called out, placing a hand gently on Nick's shoulder. "It'll be fine. He loves us both."

Nick nodded jerkily as they walked up to the counter, surveying the room for their friend. "I don't see him." Jeff murmured and Nick shook his head. "Me either, maybe he's in the back?" The two continued with their conversation from the car as they waited in line, now discussing musicals and movies. "No, the movie version of Rent is horrible, doesn't capture the essence at all!" Nick argued and Jeff just shook his head. "You have to see it as a completely different entity." He replied and Nick sighed in mock frustration. "Hey Jeff!" A voice called from behind the two and both boys turned around to see Trent standing with an empty coffee pot in his hands. The taller brunette's eyes widened as he took in the scene in front of him before he relaxed and smiled. "I can't believe what I'm seeing." He deadpanned and Nick laughed.

"What are you two doing here?" Trent questioned and Nick shrugged while Jeff bit his lip, trying not to laugh. "Guess." The blonde said with childlike glee. "You two are… No… No way. Shut up." Trent sputtered out as he realized just what his two friends were doing at the coffee shop. "Yeah way." Nick replied, feeling his heart swell as he grabbed Jeff's hand and squeezed it gently. Trent's eyes widened as he saw this, looking like a little kid on Christmas. "And how long have you been hiding this from me exactly?" He asked, placing his free hand on his hip. "Uh…" Jeff replied, glancing over at Nick before down at his watch. "A few hours, tops?" He stated and Trent raised an eyebrow.

"We're serious." Nick exclaimed and Trent shook his head and smiled mischievously. "Whatever you say Nick. I'll get the story out of you eventually. Until then I have to refill this coffee." Trent sighed and gestured with the empty pot. "See you two then." He added with a wink before turning on his heels and disappearing into the back room. Nick and Jeff were silent as they watched their friend walk away. "How long do you think it'll take him to realize that we only just me today?" Jeff asked and Nick shrugged, realizing that he was still holding Jeff's hand as he did so. "Give him a few days." He replied, feeling his cheeks turn slightly pink as he became very aware of Jeff's hand in his. "I'll give him a week tops." Jeff added, squeezing Nick's hand lightly as he caught the brunette's eyes. "Is that a bet I hear?" He asked with a playful smile as felt his heart leap and his stomach flop. Hazel eyes met brown eyes, and both boys smiled, realizing just how right this seemed.


	4. Ice Skates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I really don't think this is a good idea Jeffie…" Nick warned, glancing up at the "Adventure Zone Ice Rink" sign before looking back up at his boyfriend. Jeff laughed again, causing Nick's stomach to fill with fuzzy feelings despite his nerves, and grabbed the brunette's hand.
> 
> prompted by Rileys Hell Princess over at FF.net Niff goes ice skating!

“You’re kidding.” Nick said as he stared at the sign hanging above the parking lot in which he and Jeff were sitting. He and Jeff had been dating for a little over three weeks and Jeff had decided it was high time he took Nick out on a date of his own. “You’ve taken me out way too many times, it’s my turn!” He had said, crossing his arms as if to say that the discussion was over. Only slightly hesitantly Nick had agreed to let Jeff choose a place, both excited and nervous for the blonde’s decision. Okay, he’d actually been really excited about the date until he’d asked what they would be doing and Jeff had just smirked and told him to “wear something warm.” After Nick had heard that he’d been equal parts terrified and excited. Now that they’d arrived at their destination though, the ice rink near where Nick and Jeff had their first date, all Nick felt was fear. He couldn’t skate and he could already see the day ending up a train wreck.  
“Come on Nicky!” Jeff replied playfully as he turned off the car and unbuckled his seatbelt. “It’ll be fun, you’ll see!” Nick looked over at his boyfriend with wide eyes and raised eyebrows. “You’re kidding right?” he asked and Jeff smiled even wider, showing that no, he definitely wasn’t kidding. “Jeff, I can’t skate. Bambi can probably skate better than I can.” Jeff shook his head and laughed, tilting his head back slightly in the way that Nick had come to know meant that nothing could bring the blonde down. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine!” Jeff promised, patting Nick’s hand gently before climbing out of the car.  
With a sigh Nick followed suit, meeting the blonde at the tail end of the car next to the trunk. “I really don’t think this is a good idea Jeffie…” Nick warned, glancing up at the “Adventure Zone Ice Rink” sign before looking back up at his boyfriend. Jeff laughed again, causing Nick’s stomach to fill with fuzzy feelings despite his nerves, and grabbed the brunette’s hand. “Seriously baby, relax.” He said as he locked the car with the press of a button before leading, no, dragging the shorter male towards the glass double doors of the rink.  
Nick felt his stomach flop as the tall blonde pushed open the doors with his open hand, the smell of ice, skates, and concession stand foods hitting the two males like a wave as they entered. He couldn’t do this, he actually couldn’t. He prided himself in being able to take risks when need be but this was not something he felt he could do. “Jeff…” He said quietly as he took in the large lobby area. It was split into three parts, an arcade sitting in the far right corner, the concession stand with its hot dogs and nachos sitting closest to the door, and the lobby area with chairs tables and a skate rental booth right next to the doors to the actual skating rink.  
Jeff turned to look at the shorter male as he spoke, worry flitting across his face before it was replaced with kindness and happiness. “Listen to me.” He started, squeezing Nick’s hand lightly as he spoke. “You’ll be fine. I’ll be right there next to you the whole time, I won’t let you get hurt.” Nick felt the knots in his stomach begin to loosen and untangle as Jeff spoke. He nodded as the blonde continued talking, convincing him that he would be fine. Nick didn’t hear the words, he was too focused on Jeff’s eyes and the way looking at them made him feel like he was wrapped up in a warm blanket on a cold winter night.  
Before Nick could register what was going on Jeff had stopped talking and had dragged him over to the skate rental booth. He watched as Jeff smiled at the man, exchanging greetings before being handed two pairs of skates. “Here you go.” Jeff said with a smile as he handed Nick his skates and led him over to a table. The tan boot like shoes felt heavy in Nick’s hands as he sat down on a bench, trying not to freak out. “Do you know how to tie these?” Jeff asked and Nick nodded. “I’ve gone skating before, I’m just really bad…” Nick admitted, wincing inwardly as he remembered the last time he went skating. It had been ages ago, back in high school. A local park had opened a pond up for skating one winter and Nick, Trent, and a few other friends from school decided it would be a great idea to go. The event had started off fine but had ended up with a trip to the ER after Nick and his friend Thad collided and both managed to break their arms.  
Nick thought about his last skating experience as he laced up his skates. Jeff must have noticed his silence and identified it as nerves because as soon as Nick was done lacing up he felt a hand on his. “You’ll be fine.” Jeff repeated for what felt like the 100th time that day. Nick nodded, smiling slightly as he locked eyes with the blonde. “Okay.” He said, taking a deep breath. “I’ve got this!” He exclaimed as he stood up, trying not to fall while still on normal, non-ice covered, ground. Jeff let out a short laugh as he watched his boyfriend hobble for a few feet before quickly moving over to the brunette and taking his arm. “Thanks.” Nick replied sheepishly, feeling slightly embarrassed.  
“No problem.” Jeff replied with a shrug as he led Nick through a set of blue doors and into the actual ice rink. “You’re okay right?” Jeff asked as they moved towards the ice. “You’re not too cold or anything?” Nick shook his head. “I’m fine, I’ve got hat, gloves, and a coat, everything to keep me warm.” He replied adding a silent And I’ve got you to keep me safe. As he smiled over at his boyfriend before letting go of Jeff’s hand and hobbling onto the ice, clutching the side rail as he went. He glanced at the rink around him as he transferred from floor to ice. There was hardly anyone there besides him and Jeff, just an elderly couple slowly making their way around the rink, chatting quietly as they went. For once Nick was grateful that there wasn’t a large crowd, it meant less people to run into.  
“Alright.” Nick said, looking down at his feet as he spoke. “I think I can do this.” He smiled confidently as he lifted his hands off the side rail and steadied himself on his skates, looking up at Jeff once he was balanced. “That’s great baby, now try moving.” Jeff replied, trying to sound serious but failing when a goofy grin spread across his face midsentence. “Oh ha ha.” Nick replied, sticking out his tongue as Jeff moved a little bit closer. There was a pause as the two stared at each other, locking eyes and smiling, before Jeff broke eye contact and looked down at Nick’s skates. “So…. Are you actually going to move or are we going to stand here?” He asked jokingly and Nick shook his head. “I’m going, I’m going!” He exclaimed with a laugh, turning and beginning to slowly and wobbly make his way around the rink, using the side rail as a support beam whenever he needed to.  
“See. This isn’t too bad.” Jeff said as he skated next to Nick, moving gracefully as he spoke. Nick nodded and smiled even wider, he’d managed to lap the rink twice without falling and felt much more confident. “I don’t know what I was so nervous about!” he replied and Jeff grinned. “Do you think you’re ready to move out into the middle?” The blonde asked and Nick felt his stomach flop but nodded anyway. “Okay, just take my hand. We’ll go slow.” Jeff said, holding out a hand. Quickly Nick grabbed the hand and let Jeff lead him out farther into the middle of the rink. They weren’t dead center but they were far enough away from the side that the side rails were out of reach. Nick felt his pulse quicken as he continued to slowly skate, concentrating on not falling over. Suddenly a hand appeared on his waist and, surprised by the sudden touch, Nick flailed slightly, hitting Jeff before falling onto the ice with a soft thud.  
“Ow.” He said with a soft moan as he felt his tailbone receive the shock of the fall. “Are you alright?” Jeff asked, kneeling down next to the brunette. “I’m sorry, I should’ve warned you that I was going to do that I wasn’t thinking and that was stupid of me.” Nick looked up at his rambling boyfriend, whose cheeks had turned considerably pinker, and smiled. “I’m fine, don’t worry.” He said confidently. “I’m just going to sit here and let my tailbone recover.” He added and Jeff laughed, shifting slightly before plopping down next to Nick on the ice and wrapping an arm around him.  
“What are you doing?” Nick asked, surprise and amusement mixing in his voice. “Sitting down next to you, what does it look like?” Jeff asked, pulling away slightly to look at the brunette. “I see that but… this…” Nick motioned at Jeff’s arm. “What is this?” he asked and Jeff shrugged. “We’re cuddling. To conserve body heat and all.” He replied simply and Nick laughed, leaning into Jeff, suddenly overwhelmed by the smell of him. It was an odd mix of mint, cologne, and fabric softener but the three scents mixed together beautifully to Nick and he happily breathed in the smell as he sat on the ice. “What are you doing?” Jeff asked with a laugh as he looked down at his boyfriend. “I’m smelling you.” Nick replied and Jeff raised an eyebrow. “What? You smell nice.” Nick replied, feeling his cheeks redden slightly.  
Jeff chuckled and shook his head slightly before a shiver ran through his body. “Are you cold?” Nick asked, suddenly feeling the sharpness of the air himself. “Yeah, a little. Do you want to keep skating or are we done?” Jeff asked, looking around the rink before locking eyes with Nick again. “I think I’m ready to call it a day.” Nick replied and Jeff nodded, swiftly standing up before helping Nick up off the ice himself. Slowly the two made their way back to the exit of the rink, Jeff holding Nick’s waist as he half glided, half stumbled.  
“You weren’t half bad.” Jeff mused he and Nick made their way out into the lobby and sat down at their bench. Nick scoffed and shook his head. “I spent half that time clinging to you or the rail and the other half sitting on the ground.” He reminded the blonde who shook his head. “You did a lot better than my brother does, he sits on the ground and slides instead of skating.” Nick raised his eyebrows at this, not sure if he should believe what the blonde was saying. “It’s true!” Jeff exclaimed, his eyes widening slightly before shaking his head. “You’ll see. I’ll talk to my sister she has millions of videos of him scooting on the ice, maybe she’ll send some to me.”  
Nick laughed, listening as his boyfriend explained his family and his many siblings to him. Nick listened as Jeff told Nick about childhood memories, funny quirks each of them had, and what each of them liked and disliked. As they were heading back out to the car, subtly holding hands, Jeff faltered. Nick looked up at the blonde, confused at why Jeff had stopped talking and wondering if something was wrong. “What’s wrong?” He asked and Jeff blushed, looking embarrassed and maybe a bit flustered. “I’m boring you aren’t I?” He asked and Nick shook his head. “No, not at all. I love hearing about your family.” Nick gently squeezed Jeff’s hand as he spoke, smiling up at the blonde reassuringly.  
“Alright, just tell me if I am because sometimes I start talking and can’t stop…” Jeff said sheepishly and Nick smiled and nodded. “It’s fine.” He promised. “I like hearing about them, I’ve always wondered what it was like to have a big family.” He admitted, remembering how much he wanted a sibling as a kid. “Alright, just a warning though, there’s a lot to say about them. I could keep you for hours.” Jeff said jokingly and Nick smiled, actually liking the idea of sitting with Jeff for hours, listening to him talk about the Sterling clan. “I wouldn’t mind that actually.” Nick replied and Jeff raised his eyebrows before smiling and wrapping an arm around the shorter male. “Alright then, you asked for it. Where are we headed so you can hear all the tales of the Sterling family?” Nick smiled and blushed slightly before looking up at Jeff. “Coffee Grounds. “Coffee Grounds it is then!” Jeff replied, pecking Nick on the cheek before unlocking the car, an adorable smile plastered across his face as he climbed in.


	5. Roller Coster Ride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "He's gonna spew his guts out ya know." A voice piped up from behind Nick and the brunette turned around to face another blonde. "Oh hush Jacob!" Another voice said, this time coming from a girl with blonde bangs. "It's true though Jemma, he'll go on the ride and puke his guts up. It happens every time!" Jacob protested and Jemma smiled before covering her younger brother's mouth.
> 
> Niff and the Sterlings go to Cedar Point

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A prompt given by one of my friends.

"I don't know about this babe… Are you sure you want to do this?" Nick asked quietly as the line he and Jeff were standing in moved forward a few feet. Jeff nodded, putting on a brave face despite the way his face went white as he looked up at the blue roller coaster looming over head. "He's gonna spew his guts out ya know." A voice piped up from behind Nick and the brunette turned around to face another blonde. "Oh hush Jacob!" Another voice said, this time coming from a girl with blonde bangs. "It's true though Jemma, he'll go on the ride and puke his guts up. It happens every time!" Jacob protested and Jemma smiled before covering her younger brother's mouth.

Nick laughed as he watched the younger Sterling siblings interact. It was summer break and he was spending the vacation with Jeff and his family in Cleveland. At first the idea of spending the entire break with a group of people he didn't know scared Nick but once he'd talked to Jemma via skype he'd felt much more comfortable with the idea. That didn't stop him from feeling terrified when he first walked up the front walkway to the Sterling's house. Despite an awkward meeting in which Jeff's brother cried out "About time you got laid!" Nick got along wonderfully with Jeff's family. After a day at their house in Cincinnati the entire Sterling family (plus Nick) packed the car and drove up to Cleveland. "It's a tradition we have. First weekend we're all free we drive up to our grandma's house and spend the week taking in the beauty of Lake Erie." Jeff had explained.

Now the entire family, including Grandma Sterling, were an hour away from Cleveland, in Cedar Point, waiting in line for the Millennium Force. "No, I totally got this." Jeff protested shaking his head and straightening up slightly. "No, you're either gonna chicken out or puke over everything!" Jacob argued and Jeff laughed. "We'll see about that." He replied and Jacob shook his head before falling silent. "I got this." Jeff repeated quietly, glancing up at the coaster again as he grabbed for Nick's hand. "It's okay, you'll be fine." Nick said, looking up at the tracks himself. He couldn't tell if he was nervous or not. The ride looked fun and exciting but at the same time the fear of death nagged at the back of Nick's mind. He pushed the thought aside though, it was a childish fear, one left over from his childhood. "I can do this." Jeff muttered, pulling Nick from his thoughts. "I'm right here. We'll do this together." Nick replied and Jeff turned to face the brunette, his eyes wide with both fear and anticipation.

"Yeah. We'll do it together. You're sitting next to me right?" Jeff asked and Nick nodded. "Of course, where else would I sit?" He asked and Jeff shrugged, a look of calm creeping onto his face. "You know this ride goes over 90 miles an hour?" Jacob piped up from behind them and all calm was gone from the oldest Sterling's face. "Jake!" Jemma protested, hitting her brother's arm but he continued. "And it's over 300 feet tall. You're going to go on a 300 foot drop soon." Jacob continued with a sly smile as he, and the entire line, moved forward. The loading area was in sight now and Jeff looked like he was going to bolt. "I can't actually do this." He stated as the line moved forward again. "It's too late to back out now." Jacob commented calmly and Jeff shook his head, panic flashing in his eyes. "Nope, I'm done. I'm not doing this. Nope." Jeff said, turning to leave the line. "No you don't." Nick replied, placing his hands on his boyfriend's shoulders and turning him back around.

"I can't do this. At this rate I'm going to puke before I even get on the ride!" Jeff said and Nick sighed. Honestly Nick thought seeing his boyfriend like this, worried, a little nervous, not calm and collected, was a little bit adorable. "You're fine. I'm right here. You've been talking the entire ride here about how much you wanted to go on this. You can do it." Nick insisted and Jeff shook his head. "Jeff. Look at me. Breathe okay?" Jeff nodded and looked into Nick's eyes. Nick felt his heart skip a beat as he locked eyes with the blonde and he let himself get lost in the chocolate brown eyes for a moment before pulling himself back into the present. "I'll be right there if you do this. And if you don't then that's okay. Just calm down baby." Nick said calmly and Jeff nodded with a small smile.

There was a pause before Jeff looked away, over at the boarding area that was getting closer and closer. "I'm going to do this. I will ride this and it will be fun." He said, almost to himself and Nick smiled. "Awesome." Nick replied and Jeff smiled over at him as the line moved forward again. Now Jeff, Nick, Jemma, and Jacob were practically at the front of the line and Nick glanced from Jeff to his siblings, hoping Jacob wouldn't freak out Jeff any more than he already had. "So Nick, I'm sure mom and dad have grilled you completely but I hear you're going to Dalton next semester." Jemma commented as they moved up slightly, parting to move into separate lines for different seats. "Yeah, I'm working on it, I should hear something back from them when we get back home." Nick replied, feeling his stomach knot a bit. He knew he shouldn't be too worried about his transfer, that Dalton had probably already decided he was enrolled, but he couldn't help doubting things every so often. What if he wasn't actually good enough? "Now look who needs to calm down." Jeff whispered in his ear, squeezing the brunette's hand.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm just…" "You'll get in, I know it!" Jeff cut him off with a smile and Jemma laughed. "You guys are so adorable." She commented for the millionth time that week. "So I've heard." Jeff replied dryly causing Jemma to laugh again. "Well you are." Jemma protested as the line moved a little bit more. Now the four were on the platform and all that was standing between them and the ride were a few groups of people. Nick took a step forward and Jeff followed suit before Jacob piped up and said "I hear you like Batman." Nick smiled and nodded excitedly, turning to face the younger male. "Yes! Batman is the best!" "Your views on the end of the newest movie?" Jacob asked cool-ly and Nick heard Jemma whisper "oh brother." From next to him. "It was amazing! Joseph Gordon-Levitt is amazing! I kinda freaked out completely at the ending!" Nick gushed and Jacob smiled before launching into a discussion about Batman and Robin.

Nick was pulled from his discussion as he felt Jeff tense up next to him. The last group before them had already boarded the blue and yellow ride and now Jeff looked ready to bolt again. "I don't think I can do this." He said, his voice shaking and Nick grabbed his hand, squeezing it softly. "I can't. I think I'm too short." Jeff mumbled and Nick couldn't help but laugh at the taller male. "Yeah, I'm sorry babe but I think, if anything, you're too tall to ride this." Jeff stuck his tongue out at the brunette which only caused him to laugh again. "Come on. If you back out now I'll be sitting alone." Nick added, making his best puppy dog eyes. Jeff stared down at his boyfriend and shook his head before smiling and shrugging. "I guess I'll try it." Jeff said as the coaster cars pulled into the platform. "You've got this. I'm right here." Nick promised as the buzzer went off and he climbed into the car.

If he was honest with himself Nick thought the entire 2 minute ride was the most terrifying thing he'd ever been on. It was full of turns and drops and other things that made Nick feel like his stomach was about to detach from the rest of his organs. The brunette couldn't help but laugh though every time they would slow down and travel up a hill and Jeff would mutter profanities under his breath before screaming his head off as they plummeted down the track. Before Nick could properly process what had happened though the ride was over and he, Jeff, Jemma, and Jacob were climbing out of the coaster. "Quick Nick, get your beau to a trash can." Jemma said quickly, patting Nick on the shoulder as he turned to look at his boyfriend.

Jeff looked like he was either going to vomit or pass out, or maybe both. "You okay Jeffie?" He asked and Jeff shook his head. "I'm gonna puke." He replied before dashing to the closest trash can and brought up everything he'd eaten. Quickly Nick made his way to the blonde's side, placing a comforting hand on Jeff's back as he emptied his stomach. "You alright?" He asked as he watched his boyfriend expel everything from his stomach before standing up and wiping his mouth. "Yeah." Jeff said with a nod before shaking his head quickly and smiling. "Ya know, if you subtracted the vomiting after, that was kinda fun." He said, looking over at Nick.

"I told ya you'd be spewing chunks!" Jacob called out and Jeff turned and stuck his tongue out at his younger brother. "Real mature!" Jemma teased and Jeff shook his head. "Yeah yeah." He said before turning to look at Nick. "Now what?" He asked, resembling a blonde, oversized, puppy. "Now we continue with the day… Although we should probably lay off the extreme coasters for a while…" Nick said and Jeff laughed. "Alright, come on you guys!" He said, letting go of Nick's hand before racing his brother down the exit ramp towards where the older Sterlings were sitting. "He bounced back fast." Nick commented to Jemma. "Yeah, but did you expect anything less from him?" Jemma asked and Nick shook his head. "No, I really didn't." He replied before following his boyfriend and his siblings back down towards the amusement park.

**Author's Note:**

> alright so that's part one! I hope you all liked it. (feed back is greatly appreciated.) Thanks for reading guys, the next chapter, installment thing will be up ~Thursday! Until then I less than 36 all of you! XD


End file.
